Why You Need to Turn Your Passion into a Side Business Today

Authored by
Claire Small

Posted
Wednesday, December 6, 2017 - 7:07am

Putting aside the things that you are passionate about, the things that you love doing, is a huge mistake. You don’t need to put these things on hold just because you have a full-time job, or if you’re a parent (or both!). Instead, you just need to make time. To make that time worthwhile, turn it into a side business. This is perfect if the passion that you love is to create. Whatever you create, whether it is painting, knitting, sculpting, or anything else, you can sell. You can even turn your passion for photography into a passive income. All you need to do is know how, be dedicated to working on your passion, and to follow this guide:

Fitting it Into Your Routine

The first thing that you need to do is to work your hobby more often into your routine. This could mean having a period of time during the day where you focus solely on creating your art. For instance, after you leave for work you could spend the time before dinner to create. If you need to be outside, or otherwise in another location other than home, go there instead. After work go out and take photos of your city so that you can go home, edit them, and sell them. Go to a workshop where you can work on your latest creations. Whatever you do to create, ensure you:

1. Create a Workspace

If you work at home, great! You should, however, create a workspace that you can go to every day. This could mean sectioning off a corner so that you can set up a desk with everything that you need. Or it could mean putting together a basket of your materials so that you can create your craft on the couch while you watch television. Wherever you like working, make sure that is has everything that you need in one place, that it is comfortable, and most of all that it is relaxing.

Creating is a great way to occupy your mind and your hands, and it can be an excellent way to de-stress and balance your life. It should not, however, feel like a chore. You should, ultimately, enjoy doing it.

2. Be Consistent

The more you work every day, the more progress you will make. Not only is this how you will turn your passion into a business, but it is also how you’ll gain the most benefits. Be proud of what you are accomplishing, and enjoy the process. Being consistent is how you’ll not only ensure you have time every day to do what you love, but also so that you can make money doing it.

Turning it Into a Business

Once you have enough product, regardless of what you create, it’s time to turn it into a business. When you have a career on top of this, it’s a great side project to make a bit of extra money. All you need to do is:

1. Options for Online Selling

You don’t need to shell out money for a website, but you do need to be online. If you sell products, then go to online marketplaces like Etsy, Amazon, or eBay. If you are a photographer, created a contributor account on the stock photography sites and upload your work. If you are a writer or otherwise create tutorials or other digital-only information, then you can either contact a publisher or self-publish. Whatever your art, there are ways to sell.

2. Market

Once you have your creations on whatever site you choose, it’s time to market yourself. You can do this through social media, or through traditional digital marketing avenues. If you are aiming to not spend money selling, opt for creating social media communities. You can do this by sharing photos, tutorials, and blog posts online about what you do. You will need to read up on how to market on social media, but all it takes is a bit of time on your phone each morning.

The Difference Between an Active and Passive Income

When you sell online, you need to understand that there are two ways for you to make money. The first is active. This means that when someone buys your product, you need to pack up and ship your creations to the buyers. This is active in the sense that every purchase leads to an action, and it can depend month by month. It means you need to keep creating in order to make more money.

Passive incomes, on the other hand, mean you make money without doing anything. Passive incomes can be done if you are a photographer or writer. Essentially, it means that creating a product once can be sold again and again. Stock photo downloads or digital eBook downloads are a part of this. While the amount you make per month will vary, you don’t have to keep creating in order to receive this money.

How to Find Inspiration to Keep Working

Despite turning your passion into a second or passive income, everyone will find their inspiration to create wane. When you need to keep creating in order to keep making money, this can be a problem.

1. Entice Your Senses

What you eat, inhale, and smell can impact your creativity. Add more flavours into your life to activate your brain and give you inspiration. This also means working on your diet so that you eat more flavourful foods. It means getting different scented candles so that your brain is always stimulated. Even switching your smoking habit to flavoured vaping can help. Learn more about the flavours there are available, and you can stimulate your senses every day.

2. Explore

When you want to be inspired, get out there! Go to new places, do new things, and otherwise break out of your comfort zone.

Whether you keep your passion as a second business or you take it upon yourself to turn it into your full-time career, you need to be consistent, dedicated, and inspired. You can do what you love and make money, it just takes work.